History: Digging the Great Escape

THIS fascinating documentary brings back to life the story of the Great Escape immortalised by Hollywood.

It follows a team of engineers, archaeologists and serving RAF officers as they gather on the site of Stalag Luft III, the “escape-proof” PoW camp south-east of Berlin, to excavate the remains of Harry, the tunnel from which 76 allied airmen escaped on the night of March 24, 1944.

Just how did they dig 100 metres with only basic tools and right under the noses of the Germans? How did they get rid of tons of sand? How did they light the tunnel?

How did they forge more than 100 documents and what did they do with the 90 bunk beds and 635 mattresses they stole from the camp?

The programme assembles a remarkable cast of surviving veterans of the escape including Frank Stone (right), a resident of hut 104 from which the tunnel was sprung.